SWOV Fact sheet. Road deaths in the Netherlands

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1 SWOV Fact sheet Road deaths in the Netherlands This fact sheet outlines the development of the number of road deaths in the Netherlands since. After a rise in the s and s, the number of road deaths in the Netherlands has shown a gradual decline since. After a number of road deaths in and, the Netherlands counted road deaths in. More than a third of the fatalities are car occupants (), a near third are cyclists (). Measured by the population size, relatively many fatalities occur among young people and young adults (- years) and among the elderly ( +), whereas relatively few children (- years) are killed in traffic. When comparing numbers of road deaths according to different subgroups (e.g. age, mode of transport, road type) it should be borne in mind that the number of road crash casualties depends on the amount of mobility: the more one travels, the greater the probability of a crash. The number of casualties also depends on the safety features of this mobility: roads are safe or not so safe and the same is the case for vehicles. In addition the traffic behaviour also affects the probability of being involved in a crash. Of course it also makes a difference whether other road users display safe or hazardous behaviour, do or do not pay attention, et cetera. Therefore the number of fatalities in a particular subgroup is not only determined by how dangerous that group is (the risk of a specific age group, gender, mode of transport or road type) but also by the amount of mobility of that group (of that mode of transport, on that road type, etc.). Differences in numbers of fatalities may be attributed to differences in mobility as well as to differences in risk (see for the latter subject SWOV Fact sheet Risk in traffic). When is one categorized as a road death? Internationally a road fatality is defined as someone who, as a result of a crash on a public road in which at least one moving vehicle is involved, dies within thirty days from the consequences of that crash. How is the number of road deaths in the Netherlands determined? Before, all road death statistics in the Netherlands were based on police reports. Since, the number of deaths is determined by Statistics Netherlands (CBS), in close consultation with the Ministry of Infrastructure and the Environment (IenM). Statistics Netherlands uses three different data sources to determine the number of road deaths in the Netherlands:. Data from the cause of death forms filled out by a coroner;. The district courts dossiers on deaths of unnatural causes;. The police crash reports (Database of Registered Crashes in the Netherlands called BRON). This database is published by the Ministry of Infrastructure and the Environment. By linking and comparing these data sources Statistics Netherlands composes the overview of the number of road deaths. This can be seen in Figure Figure. The number of road deaths is determined using three sources. A road death can be included in one or more of these sources. SWOV Fact sheet SWOV, The Hague, the Netherlands June

2 Statistics Netherlands assumes that all road deaths are registered in at least one of the three sources and that there are therefore no traffic deaths that are not registered in any of these sources. This means that the white area in the circle around the three coloured circles in Figure contains no road deaths. Based on an analysis of the data CBS determines the number of road deaths. Double countings are removed, and the file is cleaned of casualties that should not be included in the road deaths in the Netherlands (crashes abroad, not on the public road, suicide, natural causes) In the last five years the number of road deaths in BRON is about % lower than the number determined by Statistics Netherlands. Incidentally, Statistics Netherlands is not allowed to provide the Ministry of Infrastructure and the Environment with feedback on which deaths are not included in the category road deaths. It may therefore be possible that for some groups the number of road deaths is lower than the number that the Ministry has reported in BRON. How has the number of road deaths in the Netherlands been developing during the last ten years? Figure shows the development of the (actual, as determined by Statistics Netherlands) number of road deaths according to mode of transport since the year. The number of fatalities among car occupants shows a considerable fall and also among pedestrians a gradual decline can be observed. The decline is less obvious for other modes of transport. Fatalities among cyclists do not seem to decline any longer. Other/unknown Passenger car Mobility scooters Bicycle Lorry/delivery van Motorcycle (Light-)moped Pedestrian Figure. Road deaths (factual number) in the Netherlands in the past ten years, according to mode of transport. The category (light-)mopeds also includes microcars. Source: CBS Statline. SWOV Fact sheet SWOV, The Hague, the Netherlands June

3 How has the number of road deaths in the Netherlands been developing according to mode of transport, age and gender? Figure shows the comparison of the present number of road deaths with the number in, according to mode of transport, age and gender. The figure indicates that in recent years shifts have occurred: for example from young, male drivers to older male cyclists. The number of fatalities among young drivers in particular has gone down, and also the numbers of fatalities among (also male) drivers of lorries and delivery vehicles. Until, all motorized vehicles for the disabled were included in the group (light-)mopeds. Since, mobility scooters are no longer included in this group. Road deaths among drivers of microcars are still part of the group (light-)mopeds. We see that the casualties that are distinguished in both of these groups are often men. The number of deaths among (light-)moped riders has decreased in the last ten years, whereas the number of deaths among drivers of microcars and mobility scooters has increased. Presently the numbers of road deaths in both groups are about equal. In, approximately a quarter of all road deaths are woman. Almost half of them ( out of ) are cyclists. Men Other/unknown Lorry/delivery van Other/unknown Lorry/delivery van Passenger car Passenger car Motorcycle Motorcycle (Light-)moped (Light-)moped Mobility scooters Mobility scooters Bicycle Bicycle Pedestrian Pedestrian Other/unknown Lorry/delivery van Passenger car Motorcycle (Light-)moped Age (year) Women Other/unknown Lorry/delivery van Passenger car Motorcycle (Light-)moped Age (year) Mobility scooters Mobility scooters Bicycle Bicycle Pedestrian Pedestrian Age (year) Age (year) Figure. The numbers of road deaths according to age and gender compared with. All circles use the same scale, with the surface being proportional to the number. The category (light-) mopeds also includes microcars. Source: Statistics Netherlands, adapted by SWOV. SWOV Fact sheet SWOV, The Hague, the Netherlands June

4 How has the number of road deaths in the Netherlands been developing according to the different road types? If we want to know the numbers of road deaths on different road types, we need to rely on the BRON registration. That means that we do not know where the crash occurred for a considerable proportion of the crashes (those only registered by Statistics Netherlands). In the crash location was unknown for % of the road deaths, in this was about %. Figure shows the numbers of registered road deaths (registered in BRON) according to speed limit and road authority, at intersections and road sections, in recent years compared with the year. Many more fatalities occur on road sections than at intersections, except on municipal km/h roads. For road deaths in BRON in it has been impossible to retrieve the speed limit on the road in question. For the year proportionally more road deaths are missing from BRON than was the case in the year. Relatively speaking an increasing proportion of the road deaths occurs in crashes at road sections. Compared to (not shown in the figure) the number of crashes on km/hour-road sections has increased from to. The number of deaths on road sections and intersections of km/hour roads has now risen to. National Road section National Regional Regional Local Local Other Other Speed limit? (km/hour) National Intersection Speed limit? (km/hour) National Regional Regional Local Local Other Other Speed limit < ? (km/hour) Speed limit? (km/hour) Figure. The numbers of road deaths registered in BRON according to speed limit and road authority for the years and, at intersections and on road sections. All circles use the same scale, with the surface being proportional to the number. Source: Statistics Netherlands, adapted by SWOV. The registered road deaths are preliminary BRON data. SWOV Fact sheet SWOV, The Hague, the Netherlands June

5 How has the number of road deaths in the Netherlands been developing since? In there were approximately, road deaths. Their number increased to over, in. From the annual number of road deaths gradually declines. Figures and show the numbers of road deaths reported by the police between and and the numbers determined by Statistics Netherlands actual numbers of deaths starting from. In Figure the road deaths are classified by mode of transport of the road death, and Figure shows the number of road deaths per age group. Other/unknown Lorry/delivery van Passenger car Motorcycle (Light) moped Bicycle Pedestrian Police reports Statistics Netherlands Figure. Road deaths in the Netherlands since (registered by the police until ; determined by Statistics Netherlands from ), according to traffic mode. In this figure the category (light-) moped also includes microcars, mobility scooters and other motorized vehicles for the disabled. Sources: Statistics Netherlands, IenM Police reports Statistics Netherlands Figure. Road deaths in the Netherlands since (registered by the police until ; Statistics Netherlands from ), according to age. Sources: Statistics Netherlands, IenM. In, particularly many road deaths occurred among cyclists and pedestrians. Then a sharp increase commenced in the number of road deaths among moped riders and above all car occupants, which made these modes of transport increasingly important for the total pattern. Since the number of road deaths has been declining for virtually all modes of transport; only the development for motorcycles and freight and delivery vehicles doesn t entirely follow this pattern. In recent years, the number of deaths among cyclists has also been showing only a small decline. Nowadays hardly any young road deaths remain, whereas in young people and children formed a large proportion of the road deaths. Presently road deaths are mainly elderly people. SWOV Fact sheet SWOV, The Hague, the Netherlands June